Tax unused agricultural land

Written by Virginia Ayers on February 20, 2017

How about taxing unused ALR? Produce food (not hay or trees) or provide temporary habitat for pollinators or plant with a cover crop that builds soil quality, or else become subject to taxes that increase over time.

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This is a good idea, but you need a way to identify land that is currently in fallow, as that should not be subject to this.

Jan Slakov commented
2017-03-09 08:43:37 -0800

Looking at the comments below, it seems we need to do things to strengthen the ALR, but be careful not to increase taxes for those who are not degrading the land they own.

Virginia Ayers commented
2017-03-07 09:16:46 -0800

Yes, small acreage seems to inhibit economic farming and that discussion is happening elsewhere, while in Richmond ALR is being sub-divided into 3 acre lots and huge houses are permitted. Poor soil may or may not be able to be improved using permaculture practices, and environmental restoration could count as a legitimate use, perhaps. Can pollinator habitat be provided on hills? Can we start to discuss broad stroke principles as we raise awareness of the challenge of food security?

Virginia Ayers tagged this with Important2017-03-07 09:16:45 -0800

Nicole Melanson commented
2017-03-06 23:18:50 -0800

ALR lines would have to be re-drawn for this – not all land in the ALR is useful for agricultural purposes. My house is in the ALR but farming would not be a profitable business because it is too small and can’t take advantage of economies of scale, has poor soil and no significant flat surface on which to farm.